Waiting for the water: a war of attrition

Better safe than sorry, Jan Verkade (69) thought about ten days ago. The amount of water that accumulated north of Bangkok did not bode well.

Jan lives on a golf course in Bangsaothong. That is officially Samut Prakan, but is an extension of On Nut, seen from Bangkok behind Suvarnabhumi airport. You already understand: Jan does not have to bite a stick in everyday life. But water doesn't take that into account.

The first reports were that the golf course could be under three meters of water. Although Jan's house is slightly higher now, if the prediction were to come true, the water would still be one meter in the living room. Jan is a former market gardener from the Westland and can therefore not be caught for one hole. That is to say: a four-brick wall for all entrances and windows, later raised to six bricks. Jan still has enough stones in stock to raise the walls with one more stone if necessary.

His own (expensive) cars are parked in a parking garage in the city and at the airport. He rented a car for daily transportation. Jan had bought enough water and food to bridge three weeks, bought a generator, but also a couple of guests, a submersible pump and so on. The bathtubs are full of water, but besides that in the swimming pool, this is the only water that can be seen for miles around. The house is a mess, because almost everything is now on the upper floor.

“Boredom sets in. I've been holed up in my house for ten days. I've already gone grocery shopping three times to keep stock up. The uncertainty about what will happen is a war of attrition, because every day I think it's that time. The information is unclear and all kinds of maps are incorrect or not up to date. It is to become despondent.. Sometimes I think: let the water come now. On the other hand, I prefer to keep it dry and I have nothing to complain about, because water is your home – no matter how you look at it – it is still a great disaster.”

He now has little contact with other Dutch people. We'll call each other when the water comes, but so far it's been quiet. Luck in an accident: Jan Verkade bought 80 bottles of wine just before the flooding occurred. “At half a bottle a day, I can last almost half a year,” he says philosophically.